Do you ever feel like you just can’t sew the vintage wardrobe you want, in its entirety, fast enough? I have a gazillion vintage sewing patterns, but it seems like less and less time to make each piece. Even when I finish something, too soon after I am wanting something more – maybe a blouse to go with the pants I just made, or pants to go with the blouse I just made!
Even as a seamstress, I am lured by vintage repro clothing companies, but with all the knowledge of good clothing construction, quality materials, and how things should fit, I am often disappointed with the products of many of these brands.
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| An adorable vintage menswear look is easy to pull off with trousers, an oxford shirt, and suspenders. |
So when I find one that makes genuinely good stuff, I’m over the moon. Emmy Design Sweden is one of those brands.
Now, this stuff isn’t cheap. It’s European and the shipping alone can hurt, but I am subscribing to the well-known concept that it’s better to spend a bit more on truly good pieces, and fewer of them, that spend the same amount of filling my closet with crap.
I’ve been wanting to try out some of Emmy’s clothing for some time, especially the sweaters. You all know how I feel about vintage sweaters. And let me tell you, I have hardly taken this little 1940s cardigan off since it arrived back in March. The cardi is a very high quality wool blend, nice and soft, and actually fits without the button placket gapping. It’s not too tight, with plenty of room in the sleeves, and is the proper length to wear with vintage at-waist styles. This is the best vintage style knitwear I’ve come across so far.
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| This cardigan makes my heart go pitterpatter – high quality Fair Isle knit in wool blend by Emmy Design. LOVE! |
I also tried the pants, which are voluminous and lightweight. They’re a wide-legged 1930s style with buttons on the side. They were quite long and needed hemming for my 5’6″ height, so I turned up cuffs and blind-stitched them in place. Though they are sold as Fall/Winter pants, the fabric is very light and flowy, actually quite perfect for Spring and Summer. I will live in these pants this season, no doubt.
The pants have buttons inside the waistband to affix suspenders, also made by Emmy, a style I absolutely love. I was having trouble finding button-on suspenders short enough for women, so Emmy really solved my problem there.
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| The trousers are loose, flowy, and comfortable, but may need hemming. |
Emmy Design clothing is, unfortunately, not sold in shops in the US. Lucky you if you’re in Europe, Australia, or South Africa. They do, however, have a web store where you can order. Check it out, especially the knitwear. I highly highly recommend it!
This outfit:
Cardigan – The Fair Isle Cardigan in Mustard
Suspenders – The Sassy Suspenders in Brown Striped
Blouse – thrifted
Sunglasses- Forever 21
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| A pair of “Back Then” oxfords from RoyalVintageShoes.com completes the vintage menswear look. |
Model – Dalen Obryan
Location – University of Nevada, Reno
7 Comments
Unknown
May 18, 2016 at 12:06 AMthey look awesome!
Isis
May 18, 2016 at 5:05 AMI can add that the knitwear fits larger sizes as well. I have a large bust and their cardigans fit me without gaping too. (A quick count says I own five cardigans and five sweaters from Emmy…) The quality is great too!
Brigid Everson
May 18, 2016 at 1:59 PMI absolutely love Emmy Designs! My sister has two of their sweaters, and they are on my bucket-list of things to add to my closet someday.
Brigid
Ms. Rebecca
May 19, 2016 at 4:52 AMI'm not a huge fan of yellow, but the cardigan design is just lovely. I love the pants with the suspenders. Not to mention that the university makes a splendid background.
Emma
May 22, 2016 at 2:32 PMEmmy design is one of my favourites ever! Love how really vintage they look and how comfy the material is. It's not at all within my student budget, but I managed to find two dresses for 15 euros each, a jumpsuit for 40 euros and trousers for 10, because I was so lucky to have met someone who used to sell it and has worn these items once or twice for promotion. They are my go to items, love how they are not fragile like real vintage.
Anonymous
January 3, 2017 at 12:35 PMThese pants are awesome. I love suspenders and wear them a lot, because not only they look classy but I also enjoy the comfortable feeling when I wear them.
Penelope
carmen glosser
April 24, 2023 at 9:07 AMThe girl on the photo for me she look’s great in her large men’s pants along with her large leather end button on suspenders !For a fact me too I too have the simular large pants with the button on leather suspenders too! and I like to wear this over my thick woolen cardigans! I even put on a cap and beleive me I get quite a succes ,when I am dressed up like this !What’s more I am always well supported too having this on me,I like ,so i wear it !What’s more as my mother hold’s a shop selling all theese articles I can change when ever I wish of suspenders,pants and so on!